Rehabilitation Counselor

Summary

Rehabilitation Counselors in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) work with Veterans who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health - physical - and/or psychosocial challenges affecting employment - independent living - or personal adjustment. Incumbent will use professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote and support optimal functioning - independence - personal adjustment - adaptation to disability - community reintegration - and recovery.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• Education
• The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• If the applicant's degree was granted prior to July 1 - 2017 - the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education
• OR A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
• OR A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that 3 emphasized rehabilitation - counseling - disability - therapy - health - employment - wellness - or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA
• OR Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
• AND Certification
• Applicants must hold a current - full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling
• Exceptions RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC - but do not possess the required certification - may be appointed - pending certification - as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C.
• 7405(a)(1)(D)
• Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained
• Temporary graduate RC appointments may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment
• Grandfathering Provision
• All individuals employed as RCs within VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series - and grade held including positive education and certification
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS: GS-09 Rehabilitation Counselor Experience
• In addition to meeting the educational requirements for this grade level - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of human development and behavior - medical - psychosocial - and vocational aspects of disability and differential influences of environmental factors to assist persons with disabilities in determining suitable vocational goals
• Knowledge of history - philosophy and disability rights legislation in the field of rehabilitation to apply in the practice of rehabilitation counseling
• Ability to synthesize assessment and diagnosis information in conjunction with labor market trends and community/educational resources to develop an effective individual service delivery plan
• Knowledge of caseload management strategies to maximize an individual's independent functioning from assessment through provision of post-employment services
• Ability to employ person-centered job development strategies to facilitate successful job placement
• Knowledge of assessment tools and methods - functional capacity evaluations and specific vocational preparation to evaluate transferrable skills - residual capacities and needs for accommodations and assistive technology
• GS-11 Rehabilitation Counselor Experience
• Completion of one year of professional experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled
• OR Education
• A doctoral degree in rehabilitation counselor education or related field (e.g
• rehabilitation psychology) from a CACREP accredited institution or from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA
• AND In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of physical and psychological disabilities - appropriate accommodations and assistive technology principles to mitigate and reduce or eliminate barriers to integrate into the community
• Knowledge of counseling theory - medical and psychiatric terminology and signs and symptomology of suicidal and homicidal ideations - to communicate appropriately with community health care professionals to provide useful input to other team members and employers in relation to the Veteran and/or his/her family's psychosocial needs and to recommend and help implement suitable treatment plans
• Ability to use evidence-based and evidence informed vocational and professional counseling practices to include individual placement and support (IPS) - customized employment and supported employment models and motivational interviewing skills to promote self-awareness - adjustment to disability - enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community
• Knowledge of career development processes and job analysis methodology to determine essential functions of jobs - worksite modifications and/or alternative vocational goals given the work history and residual functional capacities of individuals with disabilities
• Ability to administer and interpret a wide variety of assessment methods including transferrable skills and labor market analyses to evaluate for individual interests - aptitudes and abilities and to identify suitable vocational goals for the development of an effective individual service delivery plan
• Knowledge of marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within VA and local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities
• Knowledge of military lifestyle - specific factors - and dynamics associated with Veterans - particularly combat Veterans - to assist those who are returning to community and community based-work
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Rehabilitation Counselor Qualification Standard
• The full performance level of this position is 11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 9 to 11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service - paragraph 2.
  
  

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: Serving as a developmental Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) providing vocational/personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions - case management - and case coordination services
• Providing a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling services such as personal adjustment counseling - therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services - utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based modalities and professional counseling practices to aid Veterans with disabilities in integrating successfully into the community and achieving competitive employment and educational and independent living goals
• Working with an interdisciplinary team to provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services to Veterans with disabilities
• Consulting and collaborating with interdisciplinary treatment teams or other clinical staff to enhance coordination of care - ensure medical clearance - and provide for optimal timing of further interventions as it relates to the Veteran's vocational rehabilitation needs
• Ensuring fidelity to evidence-based and evidence-informed vocational and professional counseling practices
• Evaluating Veteran's abilities and disabilities
• monitoring and recording Veteran's progress to ensure goals and objectives are met
• Conducting biopsychosocial assessments using medical records - pertinent disability documentation - and observation
• Synthesizing the information to develop case conceptualization and make clinical recommendations to facilitate treatment planning and provision
• Following all suicide risk/prevention protocols in accordance with national and local policies - including administration of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
• Selecting - administering - and interpreting psychometric assessments and vocational instruments to evaluate abilities - transferrable skills - aptitudes - interests - values - preferences - and overall work resilience
• Customizing vocational exploration activities - including informational interviews and labor market research - to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals
• Determining clinical need for and capacity to benefit from therapeutic and rehabilitation services
• Vocational programming benefits may include work restoration/resilience treatment - transitional work placement and compensation - financial benefits counseling - potential benefits protections - supported employment - and assistive technology
• Developing patient-centered treatment plans - using Specific - Measurable - Agreed upon - Realistic - and Time-based (SMART) goals - and provides regular - ongoing assessment of Veteran's progress
• Complete clinical charting and participate in professional peer reviews
• Providing job development - job placement - job coaching - job accommodation - adaptation - retention - and education services to both Veterans with disabilities and for those employers who employ these Veterans
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000/ Rehabilitation Counselor Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized